Discipleship | Christ Fellowship Leesville

Introduction

We exist to make disciples for the glory of Jesus Christ through gospel proclamation, biblical teaching, intentional discipleship, and love for one another that we may present all mature in Christ (Colossians 1:28-29).

This is our mission as a local church of Jesus Christ. We therefore want to encourage and equip all covenant members of Christ Fellowship Leesville to engage in this mission. But what does making disciples look like in this church? How does each member know how to walk with others toward him? The elders have prepared the following as a guide to give clarity to our mission based on God’s word and the empowering of the Holy Spirit. Our prayer is that all covenant members will have both a clear vision and a vibrant passion to fulfill our mission for the glory of Jesus Christ, that the culture of our church will be defined by discipleship in Jesus.

A Biblical Foundation for Discipleship

Matthew 28:18-20 – And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This closing passage of Matthew’s gospel account has been famously called “The Great Commission.” It begins with Jesus establishing his reign as the crucified and risen King – all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. He has the authority and right to command whatever he desires. What does he command of his followers? Simply put, make disciples. He lays out a simple path to this command:

Go and make disciples of all nations – proclaim the gospel and walk with sinners of all nations toward faith in Christ.
Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit – display their faith in the triune God as they unite with Christ, his church, and his mission.
Teaching them to observe all I have commanded you – instruct believers in Christ to give their lives in devotion to the commands of Jesus their King.

Every follower of Jesus is brought into this Great Commission. We do not simply become disciples of Jesus Christ. We also make disciples of Jesus Christ. Disciples who make disciples fulfill the King’s command. The command comes with a strong promise, comfort, and assurance – Jesus is with us always in this mission.

Colossians 1:28–29 – Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

This passage is the foundation of our mission. The reference is included with our statement. The apostle Paul puts Jesus Christ at the beginning, at the center, and at the end of his mission: “Him we proclaim,” “mature in Christ,” “he powerfully works.” Another way to say this is that Jesus was the subject (Him we proclaim), the source (he powerfully works), and the goal (mature in Christ) of Paul’s mission. But it wasn’t just a passion for Jesus that drove Paul. It was a passion for people to know Christ as Savior and follow him for a lifetime. Which people? All people! Three times he says “everyone”; there was no one excluded from Paul’s Christ-centered mission. What actions would he take? He would proclaim, warn, teach, and present. Proclaim to everyone Jesus and his gospel. Warn everyone of sin and God’s holy judgment. Teach everyone to turn to Christ and live for him. Present everyone mature in Christ – strong disciples who love Christ, know Christ, and walk with others toward Christ. For all this, Paul says, he toils. He struggles. He works hard. Paul is deeply committed to see people’s hearts made alive in Christ, then grow and become more passionate about Christ themselves. This all comes from someone who himself is mature in Christ; he is doing all this with all his energy that he powerfully works in me.

We must do no less. Christ must be the subject, the source, and the goal of our mission and our hearts. His glory compels us to proclaim him to everyone, warn everyone, teach everyone, and present everyone mature in Christ.

The Pathway

With a biblical foundation in place, we must as a church take discipleship both seriously and joyfully. To do so, we need clarity on what making disciples of Jesus looks like at Christ Fellowship Leesville. We propose the simple pathway below to show how we walk with others toward Christ. At whatever stage the Lord connects us with individuals, we are all on the same pathway toward the same goal – maturity in Christ.

Proclaiming – We will joyfully announce the good news of salvation and eternal life in Jesus to individuals, prayerfully desiring God to make them alive in Christ.
Cultivating – We will joyfully build up their love and pursuit of Jesus through covenant membership, teaching ministries, genuine fellowship, discipleship relationships, and sacrificial service.
Multiplying – We will joyfully send them to make more disciples that bring glory to Jesus in our church, communities, and around the world.

Engaging our Mission and Pathway

Now that we see the journey of following Jesus at Christ Fellowship Leesville, what are the practical ways we will engage our mission and make disciples of Jesus? How do we make sure everyone is moving through the pathway and being presented mature in Christ? The following are the ways we can and should do so in the current life of our church. They are listed under the pathway points established above. These are not exclusive ways, and they may look different over time. But all connect with our mission in the key aspects of gospel proclamation, biblical teaching, intentional discipleship, and love for one another.

Individual covenant members will engage their communities with the gospel in their day-to-day lives. This includes making the gospel known, sharing Scripture, giving personal testimony, and inviting people to come to our worship service or other ministries. The church will equip members with training as well as materials such as tracts to help them share the good news of Jesus Christ.
The church will corporately engage with organized outreach ministries such as our ESL classes, annual Easter Egg Hunt, and Soccer Camp as a means of making connections and drawing our community to hear the gospel of Jesus. Members will be called upon to serve and perhaps share the gospel themselves as the Lord leads.
Every Sunday during our worship service, we will intentionally proclaim the gospel of Jesus in our preaching, our singing, our prayers, and our fellowship. One of our elders will always invite individuals to come and discuss what it means to repent from sin and turn in faith to Christ. We can and must assume that there is at least one person in our weekly gatherings who is lost, and pray for their salvation.

Click on each section to find out more about cultivating.

At some point, a disciple growing in Christ will engage in making disciples themselves. It will be the joy of this church to send all believers equipped and passionate to make more disciples for the glory of Jesus.

Engaging in personal evangelism
Leading in church ministries

Leading a life group
Leading an organized ministry of the church or joining a ministry team
Teaching in a ministry of the church
Discipling others in close relationships

Sent out from the church

Short term missions trips
Planting or revitalizing churches
Pastors leading other churches
Missionaries to the nations

Conclusion

Our mission to make disciples for the glory of Jesus Christ requires the presence of Christ in our hearts, the toil and struggle of Paul in the labor, and the energy of the Holy Spirit powerfully working in us. What will happen if we are obedient to the commission of King Jesus to make disciples for his glory? Joy! Jesus told his disciples in John 15:10-11: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” May we joyfully make disciples for the glory of Jesus Christ and present all mature in him.

Resources

The following are some helpful books the elders recommend to aid in your understanding and growth as a disciple of Jesus.

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Books about Discipleship

These books will help you understand what discipleship is or how to engage in it.

Deep Discipleship by J. T. English
While written with church leaders in mind, it is useful for understanding the importance of discipleship in the church context.
Discipling by Mark Dever
Following the pattern found in Scripture, this short book explains how disciple-making relationships should function in the context of the local church, teaching us how to cultivate a culture of discipling as a normal part of our everyday lives.
One to One Bible Reading by David Helm
A simple guide for every Christian to engage in reading the Bible together in one-to-one relationships.

Books for Discipleship

These books are recommended for those in close discipleship relationships to study together.

Knowing God by J. I. Packer
For more than 50 years, this book has been a deep but accessible resource for all believers to grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ.
Habits of Grace by David Mathis
Three seemingly unremarkable principles shape and strengthen the Christian life: listening to God’s voice, speaking to him in prayer, and joining together with his people as the church.
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney
An in-depth look at spiritual disciplines to help individuals grow in following Christ.
Deeper by Dane Ortland
This book points believers to Christ, making the case that sanctification does not happen by doing more or becoming better, but by going deeper into the wondrous gospel truths that washed over them when they were first united to him.